Playground apparatus



Oct. 4, 1960 ER 2,954,977

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Oct. 4, 1960 Filed July 30, 1957 E. H. DURLACHER PLAYGROUND APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H l5 H 167m A l3 W W F|G.2

FIG.3

ATTORNEY United States Patent PLAYGROUND APPARATUS Edwin Hauser Durlacher, 156 Stanton Ave., Baldwin, NY.

Filed July 30, 1957, Ser. No. 675,095

'3 Claims. (Cl. 272-60) This invention relates to playground apparatus and more particularly to playground apparatus for use by children both for exercising and for instructional purposes.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel piece of equipment for use by children in playgrounds which will enable the children to learn and to exercise in a safe manner. Another object of the invention resides in the provision of playground apparatus which comprises two spaced, triangularly constructed base pieces having a plurality of recesses spaced both horizontally and vertically and a plurality of elongated bars recessed at each end on their undersides and interlockable with pairs of such recesses in a plurality of related positions. Other and further objects of the invention will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in this art or will be pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of playground apparatus embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of one of the base pieces of Fig. l and Fig. 3 is an elevational view of one of the elongated bars.

Referring now, to the drawings in detail, it will be observed from Fig. 1 that there are two base pieces designated as a whole by the numeral 10. Each such base piece has a pair of uprights 11 resting on horizontal supports 12, these supports being connected front and rear by transverse members 13. Angular braces 14 connect the rearward ends of the horizontal supports 12 with the upper ends of the uprights 11. These members are suitably fastened or secured together in any desirable manner, such as by nails, bolts, screws, or other fastening instrumentalities. Between the uprights 11 there are a plurality of cross members 15 disposed between the uprights 11 in vertically spaced arrangement, and each such cross member is provided along its upper surface with a number of spaced recesses 16. In this way, there is provided a variety of positions in each base piece for interlocking with the ends of elongated bars 17, each of which has on its underside at each end a recess 18 so that the ends of the bars 17 can be positioned in any pair of recesses 16. It will further be apparent that the bars 17, when so positioned, interlock with the cross bars 15 and can be placed in various relative positions. The bars 17, shown in full lines in Fig. 1, are arranged as parallel bars and the bars shown in broken lines form with one of the full line bars a step-like arrangement, so that children can learn to exercise and be taught climbing, swinging, and other activities by means of this simple and safe apparatus, which, due to its construction, is firmly placed on the ground or playground surface and which, if desired, can be secured to the ground or such surface by auxiliary fastening means, not shown.

The apparatus can be made of any suitable material, such as wood, metal, plastic or other composition, and can be made in various sizes, although it is especially designed for smaller children who can reach and change the bars without assistance. The apparatus is inexpensive and 7 pieces of playground equipment now used and which are more particularly designed for older children.

The foregoing is intended as illustrative and not as limitative as various constructional details may be modified without departing from the invention. For example, the bars may be made round or of a shape other than rectangular or, if made rectangular, may be provided with rounded corners. Where wood is employed, this is made splinter-free or is treated or coated, if desired, for protective purposes.

The invention is defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Playground apparatus comprising a pair of base pieces and a plurality of elongated bars associable with the base pieces in a plurality of related positions, each base piece consisting of a frame constructed as a right triangle with one side horizontal, the other side vertical and its hypotenuse formed of braces the ends of which are secured to the ends of the horizontal and vertical sides, a plurality of vertically spaced cross members disposed horizontally in said vertical side and secured in position therein, each such cross piece having a series of horizontally spaced transverse recesses open at their upper ends and said elongated bars being recessed at each end on their undersides for removable interiocking with selected recesses in said cross members when said base pieces are arranged in spaced-apart position with their vertical sides facing each other.

2. Playground apparatus comprising a pair of base pieces and a plurality of elongated bars associable with the base pieces in a plurality of related positions, each base piece consisting of a frame constructed as a right triangle with one side horizontal, the other side vertical and its hypotenuse formed of braces the ends of which are secured to the ends of the horizontal and vertical sides, a plurality of vertically spaced cross members disposed horizontally in said vertical side and secured in position therein, each such cross piece having a series of horizontally spaced transverse recesses open at their upper ends and said elongated bars being recessed at each end on their undersides for removable interlocking with selected recesses in said cross members when said base pieces are arranged in spaced-apart position with their vertical sides facing each other, the said recesses in the cross members being arranged in vertical alignment and the number of recesses in each cross member being equal and substantially equi-spaced.

3. Playground apparatus comprising a pair of base pieces and a plurality of elongated bars associable with the base pieces in a plurality of related positions, each base piece consisting of a frame constructed as a right triangle with one side horizontal, the other side vertical and its hypotenuse formed of braces the ends of which are secured to the ends of the horizontal and vertical sides, a plurality of vertically spaced cross members disposed horizontally in said vertical side and secured in position therein, each such cross piece having a series of horizontally spaced transverse recesses open at their upper ends and said elongated bars being recessed at each end on their undersides for removable interlocking with selected recesses in said cross members when said base pieces are arranged in spaced-apart position with their vertical sides facing each other, and each base piece frame being constructed as an open frame with the uppermost cross member as the top of that side of the base piece.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 860,517 Berglund July 16, 1907 1,614,496 Scott Jan. 18, 1927 2,126,636 Home Aug. 9, 1938 

